Cam Fowler
American | birth_date = | birth_place = Windsor, ON, CAN | draft = | draft_year = 2010 | draft_team = | career_start = TBA | team = Eligible 2010 NHL Entry Draft | league = NHL | prospect_league = OHL | prospect_team = Windsor Spitfires | image = Cam Fowler - April 2010.jpg | image_size = 250px }} Cam Fowler (born December 6, 1991) is a Canadian-born American major junior ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He is a top rated prospect for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, ranked as the 5th best North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. A dual citizen, Fowler represents the United States internationally, and won a gold medal as a member of the American team at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He was a member of the 2010 Spitfires team that won the OHL championship as well as the Memorial Cup. Personal Fowler was born in Windsor, Ontario, the son of Perry and Bridget. Perry was a native of Newfoundland and Bridget of Michigan, making Cam a dual citizen. An employee of the Ford Motor Company, Perry moved his family to Dearborn, Michigan before Cam's second birthday. His younger sisters, Peyton and Emily, were both born in the United States. Fowler attended Farmington High School where he played baseball in addition to hockey. Describing himself as being one of the weaker players on the team as a youth, Fowler's potential as a hockey player did not emerge until his teenage years. He was recruited by numerous National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I schools at the age of 14 and verbally committed to attending the University of Notre Dame on a full hockey scholarship when he graduated high school. The USA Hockey National Team Development Program (USNTDP) also recruited him to their organization. Junior career The Kitchener Rangers drafted Fowler with their first pick in the 2007 OHL Priority Selection, however given he had already committed to Notre Dame and playing in the OHL would have cost him his eligibility to play in the NCAA, Fowler refused to sign with the Rangers and instead made a two-year committment to play for the USNTDP. With the development team, he was a member of the gold medal winning American team at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championships where was named the best defenseman of the tournament and an all-star. The Rangers surrendered his OHL rights at about the same time Fowler was reconsidering his committment to play in the NCAA. The Windsor Spitfires selected him with their first pick in the 2008 Priority Selection, after which he broke his agreement with Notre Dame and agreed to play for Windsor in the 2009–10 OHL season. Fowler made the decision with the belief that playing in the OHL would better prepare him for a National Hockey League (NHL) career. The decision upset university officials who alleged he was paid under the table by the OHL. Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson alleged that the Rangers had offered Fowler a package worth $500,000 to break his committment with the Fighting Irish and believed that Windsor had also made a financial offer to lure him away from the school. Fowler denied the accusations, stating he was "completely honest" with both Notre Dame and the Kitchener Rangers. Fowler joined the Spitfires in 2009 and emerged as one of the top offensive-defensemen in the league, scoring 55 points in 55 games. He added 14 points in the playoffs to help lead Windsor to its second consecutive J. Ross Robertson Cup championship. The Spitfires then won the 2010 Memorial Cup as Canadian Hockey League champions. Fowler left the Spitfires briefly during the season to play with the American team at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and won a gold medal after the United States defeated Canada 6–5 in overtime in the championship game. Draft eligibility The NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked Fowler as the 5th best North American prospect for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in their final update. He had dropped two places, having been ranked at #3, behind Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, for most of the season. He is described by Central Scouting as an offensive quarterback on the powerplay who relies on his skating and puck control. He has been compared to NHL defencemen Chris Pronger and Dion Phaneuf, but does not play the same physical style as those two. Career statistics ;Regular season and playoffs ;International Awards and honors References External links *Ontario Hockey League profile * Category:Born in 1991 Category:American hockey players Category:Windsor Spitfires alumni Category:USA Hockey National Team Development Program players